Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Major Wilhelm Balthasar (2 February 1914 3 July 1941) was a German World War II Luftwaffe flying ace, commander of Jagdgeschwader 2 (JG 2) and a winner of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. During his Luftwaffe career, Wilhelm Balthasar was credited with 47 victories including 7 in the Spanish Civil War and 13 aircraft on the ground. Between 1939 41 he flew about 300 combat missions in addition to 465 he flew in Spain.